


Machinist Silence Prologue

by Raravin



Series: Stor Netherdrift [1]
Category: Dungeons & Dragons (Roleplaying Game), Dungeons and Dragons - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Steampunk, Assassination, Assassination Plot(s), Dragonborn (D&D), Fantasy, Magic, Magical Artifacts, Other, Runes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-23
Updated: 2016-05-23
Packaged: 2018-06-10 04:19:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,037
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6939325
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Raravin/pseuds/Raravin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is a work for a fun series I am writing to set the world into a campaign or my own work of art for fantasy worlds. This one is following the assassin Stor Netherdrift, an human assassin that had entered the line of work after the Dragon War.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Machinist Silence Prologue

_Tick tick tock tick tack_ the sound of gears echoing slightly off the walls of the marble hallway,

“Damn, even after all those tweaks thing is still making a ruckus” the shadowy figure muttered to himself.

The figure drops to the floor without a sound, stealthily approaching behind a guard, the guard hearing the sound of the gears turned around with groggy “Huh?”.

In the moment he turned around an obsidian dagger found its way into his throat. Before he could mutter a sound a hand had clasp around his mouth keeping any noise escaping him become muffled. His hands struggling to try to remove the hand that is covering his mouth to try to call out for help. He thrashed to no avail, the guard's eyes started to widen with the chill of death grasping him. The final moments here he made out who the assailant was, tan skin with icy blue eyes that seemed to have a hint of gray. His facial had come around his sideburns down to this chin that almost looked like a strap. The hair on his head was a mess but as dark as the obsidian dagger that was in his hand. Blood has finally started to fill his mouth and was choking on his own blood. In his final moment he saw that the attacker looked no older than his mid twenties barely a man himself yet doing this type of work. With one gargle the guards body had gone limp.

“That was too close, got to be more careful this thing is still making a good amount of noise” the man stated to himself. He rotates his left shoulder, yet instead of being an actual shoulder his arm was a mix of bronze and gold with some intricate works of gears and some runes etched into the metal. A grim reminder of why he turned to this line of work after the Dragon Wars.

After sliding the body and disposing it into a dark corner of the hallway, the assailant decided to walk up to the doorway of the next room in peer inside. The target is inside, another decorated general yet this one has blue scales with a snout that goes past his eyes, with the top of his head was not hair but spikes that were in a slicked back fashion. Multiple scales were chipped along his hands, and his neck and head signifying multiple battles that were served with him on the battlefield.

“ _Tsk_  great a dragonborn, like this day couldn't get any harder than it already was, next time I should get more information before taking the job.” he spat in disgust.

Looking around he determined he could get up to the top of the beams and slip in the open transom window. Holding the dagger in his human arm he wipes it over a purple rune that looks like it is shaped as an “M” so the blood of the guard soaks the rune. The rune glows slightly and indents into the arm. Its hand ended up getting multiple rivets on the hand to help with the grip on the slick marble. Right on the bump of the rivets has a tiny needle like point to insert itself inside of rock to help the user keep their grip. Considering the option of scaling the outside wall from slipping out the window or climbing up the dark blue curtains seems too dangerous. Carefully sliding on a leather glove over his actual hand, it is riveted as well all along the hands. After carefully scaling up the marble pillar he had carefully positioned himself on the wooden beam. Keeping his stance low and his balance center the assassin was able to approach the transom window unlatching it, then slowly lowering it to the open position.   
  
Grabbing on to the frame he slips himself inside carefully perched on top of the door frame. Scanning the room seeing the decorated dragon born alone in the room, surrounded by paintings of himself and other important members. The target himself was staring looking out an open window that scaled up most of the wall.

“An easy escape route if need be or can use it as my form of assassination…” The assassin thought to himself.

Deciding the best course of action was to take out this target from afar. Tackling with a dragonborn is about as suicidal as you can get, the brute force of these creatures rival almost that of the people of the north. Thanks to the strength and size of the dragonborns they were used as mercenaries in most wars, they were what helped turn the tide in the dragon wars when their ancestors were laying waste to the land. These brutes could easily tear me in half, they might be strong but they also had the smarts and some mobility to match. They were a race that was bred for battle

“Besides…” sliding the back of his finger down the scratch marks that go from his ear to the middle of his forehead, then glances down at his left arm “...the last time I went hand to hand with one of them I barely bad it out alive.” His body shudders with the thought of something worse happening again.  
  
Pondering for a few more minutes he snaps back to reality, figuring the best way to take him out was one of the runes on his arm he unsheathes the dagger from his leg. The brutal downside to this device is the requirement of blood to power up the runes. If the user required more power the more blood must be sacrificed to the device. Luckily with the arm he had received a blade that helps trap blood in the grooves in the down the middle of the knife. It had a mechanism that release the blood to bleed over the sharp edge of the blade to help power transfer the sacrifice to the runes. Twisting the hilt the mechanism had started and released the captured blood from the guard to soak the blade, then went to smear the blood of the lightning rune. With the requirements met the “P” shaped rune glowed bright signifying it was at peak power.The rivets on the hand had disappeared and a hole in the palm had opened, and the forearm up allowing a device to be entered into the arm. Placing the obsidian looking daggerin the spot the plates slid back into the originating location. Lining up the shot was the easy part, pointing his palm at the unsuspecting dragonborn the hard part was actually aiming for the correct spot. Hoping the shot was lined up directly over the dragonborn art the air went silent before a crackling noise filled the air. A quick line of blue lightning shot through the palm with such force it took all of the assassins strength with his free hand to keep the arm straight resisting the kick back. He saw the mouth move on the dragonborn like he was muttering something but the sound of the lightning was overbearing in the office like room. The mark hit home striking the dragonborn right in the back where his heart should be. With the lightning hitting it marked it seared a hole into the decorated navy blue uniform he was wearing.   
“Goodnight general hope you enjoyed the view before your heart turns to ash!” he exclaims seeing the dragonborn about to be put to rest with a hole in his chest.   
The crackling comes to a halt and the lighting disappears before the palm in the assassin's hand closes exhausting the last drops of blood used to power the rune. Letting out a sigh the assassin looks back over to his target, he couldn't believe his eyes the dragonborn was still standing! It looks like the attack had not even charred the scales that the dragonborn uses for skin.  
Slowly turning around and seeing the hole in the back of his uniform the dragonborn just chuckles. “Foolish assassin didn't you know my ancestors breathed lightning instead of fire, we are impervious to the stuff. Yet you on the other hand can be charred to a nice crisp!” With a smile spread across his face he opens his mouth and a blue ball starting forming at the back of it. A loud crackle once again filled the room, unlike the lightning from the gauntlet this attack had a cone like spread there was no way to easily dodge this attack.   
  
Moments later after the shock of seeing the dragonborn still standing the attacker was able to dodge the attack by dropping down to the floor in the nick of time. The marble structure behind him indebted and started to fracture where the door he was perched on earlier splintered into pieces. He was then able to roll out of the way of a broadsword that was about to slice into him that cracked the floor with the sheer power behind the strike.  
  
“Assassin, don't I at least get the honor of your name? Surely after failing your attempt I should at least know the attacker that failed to take my life, as you already know I am General John Toucan” He states giving a half hearted bow to the man that he faces before him.

“ _Tisk_ , My name is Stor Netherdrift” Stor angrily stated not returning the bow, his eyes scanning the room frantically to try to figure out his escape route. The window was still perched open and the door that was splintered open behind him are some possibilities. Yet with all the ruckus the hallway will soon be flooding with guards and soldiers that he had slipped past in the first place. It looked like the only viable way out of here was to get past the dragonborn and escape out the window. Realizing for now the only way was to fight he unsheathed the dagger that was mounted in his forearm from the lightning attack that disappointingly failed. Spinning the dagger in his hand it was time to contemplate what to do next, looking at the shattered floor next to him taking even one of those swings would take me out completely. Signing he opens a pouch that is tied to his belt, it was a device he only liked to use in rare situations but this one will have to count. It was a small bag with a string attached at the end, looked harmless yet what it does helps out greatly yet it is expensive to replace. Pulling on the draw string Stor throws the bag up in the air and after a few brief seconds a loud explosion noise goes off and a bright blinding flash. Stor covering his eyes behind his metal arm ended up not being affected by this one bit. Once the flash was over he saw the dragonborn swinging his sword blindly taking full force of the blinding light. Timing the dragonborns swings he made a break for the window. The assassin was able to get one foot out of the window before his calf was grabbed by a strong force.   
Mimicking Stor’s reaction to the bag he threw in the air the dragonborn was able to shield his eyes from the light and acted the role perfectly of swinging blindly. Stor ended up taking the bait and made a break for the window as his main escape route. As soon as Stor ran past John was able to grab his calf and dig his nails into the muscle preventing him from his hope of escape.   
Stor winces in the pain of the dragonborns claws digging into his calf. It was dug too deep in order to make his escape viable anymore. Though he knew just as well if he was captured here this was the end to him. Barely being able to turn his upper body around top stab the dagger into John's hand. The blade was able to pierce into the hand just deep enough to force him to release the grip on his calf. When John released the grip, Stor stumbled out the window and begin a plunge into the night.


End file.
